What does it really take to track one million cell phones?

[edslhead]

Well, that's not the question the OP asks, but okay, I'll play,...

The NSA disagrees with you.
And so did the last (3) president(s), and probably the current one.
And so does most of the congress.
And so does the Director of National Intelligence.
The FBI.
The CIA.
Homeland Security. (what an oxymoron that one is, in this context)
We recently found out the US Government operates 17 "intelligence" agencies. 17! WTF!?! Why?

Data is only "worthless" until the day it can convict or exonerate you. And unless you go without, or keep your phone turned off, (with the battery removed in some cases) you are, in the view of the aforementioned agencies and people, volunteering that data.

Then there's the threat of hacking, which has been in the news a lot lately.
Think about what people do with their phones nowadays.
They've gone way beyond a pure communications device for some people.
Deposit checks.
Pay their bills.
Manage investments.
Use them to plot their travels.
Keep their itineraries.

Mobile devices are the modern cache of "papers" and "effects" that citizens accumulate, and often prefer to keep private.
I give you as a reminder, the 4th Amendment:


So, in essence, modern day "papers and effects" are being seized the instant you make or transmit them.
And you are saying that's okay, as long as no one asks to look at them. That it's okay for someone in the government to have access to, or know your most private business and whereabouts at all times. Even without a warrant.
"I got nuthin' to hide" only works until it doesn't.

And I disagree with the very notion of that. Especially when they assure you "they" are keeping it safe, when people like Julian Assange and Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning have shown the world that those people are lying to you/us.

Newsflash: It ain't safe. Not now, not then, not ever. And NOT from your government.

The founders gave us the BoR and the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th (and all the rest of the) Amendments for a reason. You can't turn your nose up at the meaning and intent of the 4th Amendment, without jeopardizing all the rest.

Erosion of our rights and the abdication/abrogation of them is serious business.
ALL of our rights.
Electronic communications shouldn't change that, even on a mass scale.

Computers are really good at a few things.
One of which is the ability to sift through HUGE amounts of data and isolate single items, and series of items, and through the use of algorithms, discover patterns established by those items.
So don't get the idea that your data amounts to the proverbial "needle in the haystack" because there's millions of these phones. That's irrelevant. Modern computing has made the haystack obsolete.
Each individual blade of grass/hay has been issued a number.
Your needle stands out among them.

I agree with you that it could be done. I just dont think anyone is going to spend the amount of capitol it would take sift through all that crap just to find out anything about insignificant me

 

[Jamie6.5]

I agree with you that it could be done. I just dont think anyone is going to spend the amount of capitol it would take sift through all that crap just to find out anything about insignificant me

As long as it's something "insignificant" about you, you're mostly correct.

But try to remember that you don't get to decide what is significant and what is not.
And capital isn't at issue. The mechanism(s) are there already.
"Capital" in this case is a handful of keystrokes.

In all probability, fewer keystrokes than I used making this post.

 

[edslhead]

As long as it's something "insignificant" about you, you're mostly correct.

But try to remember that you don't get to decide what is significant and what is not.
And capital isn't at issue. The mechanism(s) are there already.
"Capital" in this case is a handful of keystrokes.

In all probability, fewer keystrokes than I used making this post.

Ah jeez! Ya got me skeert now

 

[Jamie6.5]

Ah jeez! Ya got me skeert now

Wow, sorry Ed, that wasn't my intent.

Cautious? Yes. Knowledgeable about your rights? Yes. Thoughtful about what you turn over, and to whom,? Yes

Skeert? No. Never skeert.
Hang on Ed, helps-a-comin'.

 

[3MTA3]

What does it really take to track one million cell phones?
I would think about a million people? Even if one person could track 20 phones, they or whoever is doing the tracking would have to employ A LOT of people. I don't see it.

No. The tracking is done by algorithms tracking keywords. Humans are alerted when whatever search criteria is matched for further action. It takes a surprising small amount of computing power to do this per call. All calls can be recorded using an efficient CODEC like g.729, and those that trigger attention can be archived.

The NSA has an enormous data center in Utah that has exobyte capacity: Utah Data Center - Wikipedia. Why do you think they needed so much storage? BTW, former NSA director James Clapper once famously testified to Congress that cell phone monitoring was not taking place, then a few months later it was exposed by Snowden.

Given the capabilities of automation I'd say no more than a few dozen people at best are needed to monitor millions of simultaneous calls.

Network traffic is even easier. If you want to be mostly anonymous you should be running TOR on a Linux OS, and then configuring TOR settings. TAILS is an easy way to achieve this. If you are using Windows, then Microsoft tracks what you are doing, then periodically sends the information back to MS to "improve your computing experience". It's not supposed to be used to track what you are doing...

In the past the limitation on the data that is being gathered about you was that we didn't have the computing power to do anything meaningful with the sheer amount of data. We no longer have that constraint, and when quantum computing happens it will be real time and no need for humans whatsoever. Why do you think so much money is spent researching QC?

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

Yeah they just find the guy wearing a neon windbreaker, that looks like zack morris

 

[3MTA3]

It begins. The cost savings to employers, retailers, and government transactions will eventually make it mandatory. After that you won't even need cash, but you will need the implant to make purchases

Wisconsin Company To Implant Microchips In Employees

 

[MasterChief]

Right now I've got a few words for some of our brothers and sisters in the occupied zone: "the chair is against the wall, the chair is against the wall", "john has a long mustache, john has a long mustache". It's twelve o'clock, Americans, another day closer to victory.

 

[Ramjet12]

Right now I've got a few words for some of our brothers and sisters in the occupied zone: "the chair is against the wall, the chair is against the wall", "john has a long mustache, john has a long mustache". It's twelve o'clock, Americans, another day closer to victory.

That made me laugh. Thanks!